Analog thoughts in a digital world

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Monthly Archives: March 2012

Alright, I’ve been thinking. I know, I setup this blog more or less as talk about tech stuff (software development, tools, gadgets, technology in general, etc) and this topic might be stretching it a bit, but it was inspired by technology or, at least, by people whining about technology. (And maybe fueled a bit by death of Andrew Breitbart, not that I was particularly a fan of his, but he did accomplish a lot in his short life.) This topic began to ruminate in my mind when someone said the only people who use Google+ (which I happen to like) are people who want to Google. The conversation then went on to talk how “we should have” backed an open-source social network platform which was better. (I am not really sure what the name of it is.) (I consider the individual who said this a friend and I am not going to name names.) This morning, the one question that needs to be asked here occurred to me, “what are you doing about it?” I mean this person could have created his own community for something he cares about using this open-source social network platform in an attempt to promote it, blog about it, talk about it forums, etc.

This prompted me to look back on my near 44 years life and ask, “well, what have you done about it?” And not to spend all my time tooting my own horn, I have actually done a lot.

When I as teenager, I was big into pen n’ paper RPGs (which I still enjoy), so I helped to start and run three gaming (pen ‘n paper RPGS, board games, card games, etc) club. Later while in the military I got into Anime. I started and ran two very successful Anime clubs. (One while I was in the Military and one after I got out.) I have been into SciFi/Fantasy/Horror fandom for much of my life and have been on staff for three conventions dedicated to these for varying lengths of time.

When podcasting first started, I saw a need for shows that I wanted to listen to, and started several (Snark Infested Waters, The Three Snarks, Ray Gun Radio, Snark Tank Radio, Saturday Night in the Snark Cave, etc) and I have produced over 500 episodes. I still produce shows from time to time to promote people and things I care about.

In high school I wanted to write stories so I gave up a summer and wrote a novel. Since then I have written and published several short stories and articles (many of which were not self-published). Although, I admit ,I still do not have a published novel on the market.

I love Audio/radio drama, so I got parts in several amateur audio/radio drama production; and I have created and produced my own audio/radio drama and a album of music.

Not to mention all the games I wrote on my VIC-20 and Commodore 64, blogs and forums I have run to promote my ideas and faith, panels I have sat at conventions, software tools I have written, people I have supported and promoted, and new projects on the drawing board.

Sure, none of this has resulted in great wealth for me, although, it has given me a modicum of fame. (Which means that many people, narrow minded people, will not acknowledge those achievements.) But I have informed, inspired, and entertained a lot of people without having to compromise my values and ideas, and that is enough for me; and, obviously, there is still plenty of work to do.

This has become the age of DIY. The tools that used to only be available to large organizations and companies are now in the hands of almost anyone. If you can’t find what your looking for create it; if it does exists, use it, adapt it, promote it. Don’t just whine and complain about it. Stop expecting others to do it for you.